Creating a good work-life balance has been a key component of much of my success. I have to admit that it has not always been easy and it took time to establish boundaries for a healthy work and home life. Juggling two businesses while married with three children & a puppy is a lot and it can be overwhelming trying to divide my time and attention. In 2016, I started Tech Valley Shuttle and I’m sure you can imagine the amount of time, energy, and attention required to start a business. This meant many early days and long nights away from my family. Naturally, as Tech Valley Shuttle grew, so did my need to focus even more time and attention on the business. It was during these early growing stages I knew I had to create a healthier work-life balance if I wanted a sustainable business and a happy home.
One of the most important pieces to creating a healthy work-life balance is to prioritize your day. I made a commitment to maximize the 24 hours I have in a day by listing out daily tasks and identifying non-negotiables. I know I need 7 hours of sleep to be productive, so my sleep is non-negotiable. My family eats dinner at 6pm and that intimate family time is another non-negotiable. After listing my non-negotiables, I created a daily schedule, in which I woke up at 4am and worked until 6pm. A 4am start time may seem early to many, but I had to consider my non-negotiables; my sleep and eating dinner with my family. And I had to be willing to make sacrifices to meet the many demands of my day. Waking up at 4am is a sacrifice that I make to ensure I maximize my 24 hours.
In addition to prioritizing my day, I make sure to have fun and do things I enjoy. I love spending time with my family watching movies or playing board games. My wife and I make sure to go on dates without the kids as often as we can. And now that it is basketball season, you can catch me in my recliner, feet up, watching Lebron!
The best advice I can give on creating a healthy work-life balance is to create the balance that you want by making sacrifices, be consistent, and stay committed. Ironically, I’ve found the more structure you create in your life, the more freedoms you will have. So the only question I have for you is, what’s stopping you from creating the perfect work-life balance to suit your needs?
More About Trent & Tech Valley Shuttle
Trent Griffin-Braaf is the CEO and Founder of Tech Valley Shuttle, a NYS-certified minority-owned group transportation company specializing in workforce transportation solutions. Trent is distinguished by his ability to identify, leverage, and develop businesses. Throughout his career, he has helped managers, and owners increase company morale and bottom line by addressing team issues, offering leadership, team development, marketing, and budgeting. He has a contagious enthusiasm and passionate belief in people that inspires them to become prouder, stronger, and more valuable contributors to their organizations.
Trent’s background includes Prison Bosses, a cutting-edge Podcast in which he interviewed ex-felons who have been able to work themselves into CEOs following incarceration. The Schenectady High Alum was apart of the state champion “Patriots” basketball organization. Shortly after graduation in 2003, he made some bad decisions. After serving 3 years of a 4-12 year prison sentence (as a youth, first-time offender, and non-violent drug offense) he was forced to spend another two years working F/T temp agencies, because of felony discriminations and other barriers set forth as a part of his “conditional release.” Luckily, Trent was able to tap back into the success he had while incarcerated as a student at Marist College. There he was the head of his class and he used that as his inspiration to self-educate himself. Many online management courses and books later, matched with his outstanding customer service, hands-on approach, and passion for equality for his teammates. He quickly rose from an entry-level position to general manager within the hotel industry.
This year Trent received the prestigious honor of being named one of the Albany Business Review “40 under 40” and has also been highlighted on Bloomberg Businessweek & Bloomberg Radio. He sits on the board for the Community Center of Justice (CCJ), Schenectady Works, Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC), & Community Fathers Inc. He is also on both UAlbany non-profit steering committee & Schenectady County Covid-19 CARES ACT committee.
He has been using Tech Valley Shuttle to make a change and fight poverty locally. Offering free delivery service to those who need groceries but lack transportation and finance during covid-19 lockdowns, with partnerships from the regional food bank and area non-profits.
Tech Valley Shuttle has helped numerous ex-offenders with employment opportunities through the Go-To-Work program. We also help those currently incarcerated, one Sunday a month we offer a complimentary community prison shuttle called “Sunday Service.” This service is open to the public and is FREE, we identify a prison hub in NYS and we fill a bus with loved ones and family to help keep inmates connected with family and loved ones, which in turn, helps lower recidivism rates.
Everything Trent has done in his adult life has been geared towards helping others. Now we present the opportunity to help even more lives within the communities you represent!
Trent Griffin-Braaf
CEO & Founder
Tech Valley Shuttle
